Today I had my first photo shoot with a non-family, non-friend (referral from Shanda). She had a 3 week old and a 3 year old. I think it went well, it was definitely a learning experience. Meaning I learned I need a wide angle lens! Their house had very small rooms and I was squished way up against the walls just trying to get a wide enough in-camera crop. The little girl was a doll. Really cute and was very patient with getting pictures taken. The baby was a little fussy, too bad I didn't catch him in that 2 week window where they are sleepy and can be moved around easily. Each time we moved him the mom had to rock him and settle him down. I still got lots of great shots, but I had brought a bunch of different props (baskets and such) that I didn't use because the baby wouldn't have tolerated being moved around that much. I also wanted to get some of the baby and mother, but again, just when I was getting that set up, the baby got fussy and needed to eat. Oh well! I just have to remind me that it's ok if I don't get EVERY single shot I have in mind. As long as I have a bunch of good ones for the mom to choose from, that is a success. I've only proofed half of them (I ended up with about 45 that I'll present as proofs), but I'll post a couple of my favorites.
Mosey is turning into a talker and singer! Oh my gosh, he is talking NONSTOP. The twins didn't start this early! What am I in for? He now gives me a running commentary of everything he is doing, seeing, or thinking. And naturally I must acknowledge each and every comment. LOL! But his singing is just the best. He listens to his brothers singing and picks it up real fast. Last week we were at Target, and Joseph and Brigham were singing "Follow the Prophet." Pretty soon I hear a little voice from behind us (Mosey always likes to tag along behind us, I feel bad and try to get him to walk WITH us, but he prefers to dawdle behind) singing, "Fowow da paw-fit, fowow da paw-fit, fowow da paw-fit, he knows da WAAAAY!" It is almost too cute for words. I need to find out if I can somehow record sound clips via the computer and post them so you guys can all hear. He also can sing the Scooby Doo song along with his brothers, although for now it is limited to "Scooby dooby doo, weh ah you," repeated ad nauseum.
Brigham and Joseph are doing well, too. They have all been healthy for a couple of weeks now, thank goodness. Although that reminds me, I got sick again last week! Thursday night, just after my RS presentation, I started feeling not-so-good. I thought it was just from being up too late 2 nights in a row, but on the way home I REALLY started not feeling good. I ended up throwing up several times that night and the next day I was pretty much glued to my bed. I tried to get up a few times but I was just so sick and weak and tired, I pretty much had to let the boys have the run of the house for the day. During this time Brigham and Joseph learned first-hand the power of gas expanding. They decided they were hungry (poor boys, I can't remember if I even got them any lunch, I probably didn't), and got out a single-serving Chef Boyardee Lasagna. It has a metal lid you peel off, then put the plastic lid back on and microwave it. The boys have seen me do this before, but I guess they didn't realize I had taken the metal lid off first! So they put the whole thing in, pressed a bunch of buttons on the microwave until it started going, and it went and went until ka-BOOM! Exploded Chef Boyardee in the microwave.
The good thing about microwaves, though, is that at least it confines the mess to a pretty small area!
I did teach the boys what they are supposed to do next time they want to make a snack, and I gave them a little lesson on the physics of gas expansion. I think they sort of got it.
Ok, one more story. This is from a week ago or so, I don't *think* I've shared it, but if I have, sorry, ignore it. The boys and I were watching a show on the history channel about the Irish mob. The show was talking about the gang wars over drug turf and the boys started asking me about it. First they asked what drugs were, so I explained that drugs are pills or powders or other medicines that people take. People think that it makes them feel good for a few minutes, but then they get addicted and after you get addicted to drugs, you turn into a bad guy. Is this a good explanation? Really it is true, it is the addiction to drugs that is responsible in one way or another for a huge percentage of crime in this country I think. And the boys are pretty tuned into the concept of bad guys. So then we had a little talk about only taking medicines and other things that your doctor gives to you, or that your mom or dad give to you. Brigham asked me, "How will I know if it is a good drug or a bad drug?" I told him I would make sure to teach him, and if he was ever unsure, he should just ask me or dad. After our conversation, Brigham announced to Ben and me, "I decided not to sell drugs when I grow up because I'm going to be a batman movie maker instead." Oh, good boy! So do you think 4 years old is like some sort of record for the earliest ever just-say-no-to-drugs discussion?
All right, that is it for tonight. Rosalynde, I hope you and Mara are safely home and that she is doing well.